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Federal Lawsuit Seeks Decision on Citizenship Applications Delayed for Years
Luis F. Perez | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
8:16 PM EDT, June 4, 2008
The Florida Immigration Advocacy Center filed a class-action lawsuit Wednesday accusing the federal government of excessive delays in processing citizenship applications.
Federal law requires that the agency process those applications within four months of the naturalization interview, the lawsuit says.
Ten South Florida applicants have met the legal requirements of citizenship, but have been waiting from two to four years for a decision because of FBI background checks, according the lawsuit, which was filed in US district court in Miami.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to require the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, the agency that handles the naturalization process, to finalize their applications within 90 days.
"They followed all of this country's rules to achieve the most prized benefit of U.S. citizenship," said Cheryl Little, the center's executive director. "Yet they remain in legal limbo."
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of delayed applications in South Florida, she said. The advocacy center estimates more than 50,000 immigrants across the country are in similar circumstances.
Ana Santiago, a USCIS spokeswoman, said the agency doesn't comment on pending litigation.
"But USCIS is working after hours and on weekends long and hard to efficiently and securely process these application," she said. "We understand and recognize the need of these individuals that have applied for this immigration benefit. But we cannot compromise the security of the nation by cutting corners and taking shortcuts."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-0604immilawsuit,0,3284144.story
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Federal Lawsuit Seeks Decision on Citizenship Applications Delayed for Years
Luis F. Perez | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
8:16 PM EDT, June 4, 2008
The Florida Immigration Advocacy Center filed a class-action lawsuit Wednesday accusing the federal government of excessive delays in processing citizenship applications.
Federal law requires that the agency process those applications within four months of the naturalization interview, the lawsuit says.
Ten South Florida applicants have met the legal requirements of citizenship, but have been waiting from two to four years for a decision because of FBI background checks, according the lawsuit, which was filed in US district court in Miami.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to require the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, the agency that handles the naturalization process, to finalize their applications within 90 days.
"They followed all of this country's rules to achieve the most prized benefit of U.S. citizenship," said Cheryl Little, the center's executive director. "Yet they remain in legal limbo."
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of delayed applications in South Florida, she said. The advocacy center estimates more than 50,000 immigrants across the country are in similar circumstances.
Ana Santiago, a USCIS spokeswoman, said the agency doesn't comment on pending litigation.
"But USCIS is working after hours and on weekends long and hard to efficiently and securely process these application," she said. "We understand and recognize the need of these individuals that have applied for this immigration benefit. But we cannot compromise the security of the nation by cutting corners and taking shortcuts."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-0604immilawsuit,0,3284144.story
